Institutionalization of the dairy goats’ value chain.

The livestock subsector in Uganda is evolving in response to rapidly increasing demand for livestock products that is largely driven by human population growth, income growth and urbanization, the dairy sector particularly has overtime experienced a rapid growth from 1.5 billion litres in 2008 to 2.7 billion litres in 2019 and its contribution to foreign exchange valued at USD 139.5 million in 2019.

 

This contribution has largely been attributed to the cattle dairy sector, however, the contribution of the dairy goat’s industry to the dairy sector is not quantified and this industry has largely operated under developed and non-regulated overtime yet with enormous potential.

 

It is therefore against this background that DDA launched the project for the institutionalization of the dairy goats’ value chain.

The project was launched on 18th November 2020 by the Executive Director of DDA Dr Micheal Kansime.

 

The project has the following main objectives;

1. To collect all dairy goats related data

2. To organize and develop the dairy goats’ sector in Uganda

3. To effectively regulate the dairy goat’s sector

 

The launch of the dairy goats project led to the formation of the DDA National dairy goats coordination office at the DDA head office plot 1 kafu road Kampala, this office is responsible for the coordination of all activities concerning dairy goats industry.

 

Some of the achievements of the dairy goats project so far

• Mobilized and profiled over 100 prospective and already established dairy goat stakeholders from all the major regions of Uganda.

• Organized and implemented leadership structures for the dairy goat stakeholders in Uganda.

• Aided and lead the formation and legal registration of “Dairy goat farmers’ Association” which is a stakeholder organizational platform for further development

• Improved access to critical dairy goat farm inputs such as pasture seeds, 50kgs of pasture seeds and planting materials were given to the stakeholders to improve farm nutrition

• Improved visibility of the dairy goats’ value chain and subsequently raised awareness for increased dairy goat products consumption through exhibitions.

 

Why dairy goats?

• Highly prolific

• Goats are easier to look after

• Goats are hardy animals

• Goats’ milk is highly nutritious

• Goats’ milk is eight times the cost of cows’ milk.

 

Why goats’ milk?

Here are some of the reasons why you should choose goats’ milk.

• Easier to digest;

• Only 2 percent of goats’ milk is curd compared to about 10 percent in cow milk, this makes goats’ milk easier to digest even to infants

• Naturally homogenized;

• Unlike cows’ milk that requires man-made processes for homogenization, goats’ milk is naturally homogenized therefore easy to process

• Less allergenic proteins and causes no inflammation;

• Goats’ milk contains less lactose which makes it acceptable even to individuals who are lactose intolerance.

• High in calcium and fatty acids but low in cholesterol therefore can be used to treat coronary diseases and intestinal disorders

• Improves your skin.

 

Did you know?

 Goat’s milk is highly nutritious and has been used for the treatment of cancer, HIV and currently used to boost the human immunity against COVID19. Only 2 percent of goats’ milk is curd compared to about 10 percent in cow milk, this makes goats’ milk easier to digest even to infants and therefore gives goats milk a comparative advantage, unlike cows’ milk that requires man-made processes for homogenization, goats’ milk is naturally homogenized therefore easy to process.

 Goats’ milk is the only milk that is nutritiously closest to Human breast milk!”